@BillClemens: "In reading through the threads, this appears to be covered over and over: 
*.wps should be openable in Word with the appropriate file converter plug-in. 
I am using Word 2000 and I need to convert .wps files created in an unknown 
version of Works, but from around 1998-2000 so it's probably Works 4.x. I've 
tried Works 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 2000 file converters but in each case it opens 
the same as it would with Notepad, i.e. with lots of non-alphanumeric 
characters and formatting codes. The text is buried in the middle, but as 
straight text, no formatting.
My client has a new computer with Works 8 and again it appears it should be 
able to open any earlier version of Works word processor files, but when this 
is attempted the message is "Works cannot open [filename]. The file may be in 
use by another application, the file format may not be supported by any of 
the installation converters, or the file may be corrupt." KB article 259364 
talks about this message but the situation is not relevant.
My client needs to open the *.wps files in either Word or Works 8 and the 
old version of Works that created the files is unavailable due to hardware 
failure. Works 8 would be preferred, but if I can open them in Word 2000 that 
would be acceptable.
Everything I've read leads me to believe this shouldn't be that difficult, 
but so far nothing I've tried has been any better than opening the *.wps file 
in Notepad. Suggestions?"
    @p51mustangthreeX12: "In each program, WORD or WORKS, Microsoft offers free file 
converter downloads.  Once the converters arte downloaded 
and installed, they function when you open the target file 
using the application. In other words, open the WORD 
program, then use the File/Open menu to select and open the 
file.  That is what triggers the detection of the format and 
you'll be prompted to convert the file
Merely double clicking the .wps file does not trigger the 
conversion.
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
 some support 
<url>
"Bill Clemens" <Bill <email_address>> 
wrote in message 
news:<email_address>
| In reading through the threads, this appears to be covered 
over and over:
| *.wps should be openable in Word with the appropriate file 
converter plug-in.
| I am using Word 2000 and I need to convert .wps files 
created in an unknown
| version of Works, but from around 1998-2000 so it's 
probably Works 4.x. I've
| tried Works 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 2000 file converters but in 
each case it opens
| the same as it would with Notepad, i.e. with lots of 
non-alphanumeric
| characters and formatting codes. The text is buried in the 
middle, but as
| straight text, no formatting.
|
| My client has a new computer with Works 8 and again it 
appears it should be
| able to open any earlier version of Works word processor 
files, but when this
| is attempted the message is "Works cannot open [filename]. 
The file may be in
| use by another application, the file format may not be 
supported by any of
| the installation converters, or the file may be corrupt." 
KB article 259364
| talks about this message but the situation is not 
relevant.
|
| My client needs to open the *.wps files in either Word or 
Works 8 and the
| old version of Works that created the files is unavailable 
due to hardware
| failure. Works 8 would be preferred, but if I can open 
them in Word 2000 that
| would be acceptable.
|
| Everything I've read leads me to believe this shouldn't be 
that difficult,
| but so far nothing I've tried has been any better than 
opening the *.wps file
| in Notepad. Suggestions? "
    @BillClemens: "Yes, I understand all that and that is exactly what I have done, for all of 
the file converters listed in my original post. I have downloaded and 
installed each, have opened Word and chosen each file converter, in turn, 
from File/Open. I was never prompted to convert, the file simply opened in 
the garbled, *not* converted, format. Any idea why Works 8 cannot natively 
open earlier-version Works files? It's difficult for me to believe that *all* 
of the files created in the unknown earlier Works version are corrupt.
<quote>"
    @BillClemens: "Again, exactly as I have done. File/Open in WORD shows all of the installed 
file converters I originally listed. I selected each in turn from "files of 
type..." with the results indicated.
<quote>
..."
    @p51mustangthreeX12: "You are NOT doing it correctly, WORD WILL automatically use 
the file converter, ALL YOU DO IS TRY TO OPEN THE document 
file from within WORD.  DO NOT SELECT THE FILE CONVERTER 
FILE yourself.
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
 some support 
<url>
"Bill Clemens" <email_address> wrote 
in message 
news:<email_address>
| Again, exactly as I have done. File/Open in WORD shows all 
of the installed
| file converters I originally listed. I selected each in 
turn from "files of
| type..." with the results indicated.
|
|
| > You don't open the file converter with WORD.  You 
install
| > the exe file after you download the file.  Then you 
select
| > the document file to open, such a chap1book.wps, using 
the
| > file/open-browse menu in WORD, as required.
| > On my computer I installed Windows XP Pro (Gold-OEM) 
which
| > has been updated to SP1 and later SP2.  It also has 
OFFICE
| > XP Pro (student/teacher) installed.  It has never had 
WORKS
| > installed, yet I can open and have opened WORKS wps 
files
| > that I created a decade ago with WORKS 2.0 for DOS.  I 
have
| > also opened WORKS 4.5 Windows and WORKS 3.0 DOS files.
| > In each case WORD recognized the file and converted it 
to
| > the new format.
| ... "
    @PleaseReplyGroup: "Hi Bill,
In addition, there is a selection in the File/Open Dialog to "Recover Text
from Any File (*.*)".
Ken
news:<email_address>
| Yes, I understand all that and that is exactly what I have done, for all
of
| the file converters listed in my original post. I have downloaded and
| installed each, have opened Word and chosen each file converter, in turn,
| from File/Open. I was never prompted to convert, the file simply opened in
| the garbled, *not* converted, format. Any idea why Works 8 cannot natively
| open earlier-version Works files? It's difficult for me to believe that
*all*
| of the files created in the unknown earlier Works version are corrupt.
|
|
| > In each program, WORD or WORKS, Microsoft offers free file
| > converter downloads.  Once the converters arte downloaded
| > and installed, they function when you open the target file
| > using the application. In other words, open the WORD
| > program, then use the File/Open menu to select and open the
| > file.  That is what triggers the detection of the format and
| > you'll be prompted to convert the file
| >
| > Merely double clicking the .wps file does not trigger the
| > conversion.
| > ..."
    @BillClemens: "Something's not working here. Everything I have read, including your 
response, says, open WORD, choose File/Open, navigate to the directory where 
the file is located, pick the file type from the drop down list "show files 
of type ...," select the file, and click open. That is exactly what I've 
done. I'm not "picking a file converter," I'm TRYING TO OPEN the document 
from within WORD. The "files of type" dropdown shows Works 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 
2000 and I've at one time or another selected each. I'm not a novice (25+ 
years, MCP-Win2K), although I have limited experience with MS Works. 
<quote>"
    @BillClemens: "Thanks, Ken. In my installation of Word 2000, File/Open has an "any file 
(*.*)" selection in the "show files of type" dropdown; but I did not see a 
"Recover Text from Any File." Could this be Word version-specific?"
    @p51mustangthreeX12: "It is just that I didn't understand what you meant when you 
said you selected the converter.
You did double click the downloaded converter file and 
install it into the programs folder?
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
 some support 
<url>
"Bill Clemens" <email_address> wrote 
in message 
news:<email_address>
| Something's not working here. Everything I have read, 
including your
| response, says, open WORD, choose File/Open, navigate to 
the directory where
| the file is located, pick the file type from the drop down 
list "show files
| of type ...," select the file, and click open. That is 
exactly what I've
| done. I'm not "picking a file converter," I'm TRYING TO 
OPEN the document
| from within WORD. The "files of type" dropdown shows Works 
2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and
| 2000 and I've at one time or another selected each. I'm 
not a novice (25+
| years, MCP-Win2K), although I have limited experience with 
MS Works.
|
|
| > You are NOT doing it correctly, WORD WILL automatically 
use
| > the file converter, ALL YOU DO IS TRY TO OPEN THE 
document
| > file from within WORD.  DO NOT SELECT THE FILE CONVERTER
| > FILE yourself.
| > ... "
    @BillClemens: "That is correct. The new file converter type then appeared as a new choice in 
Word's "show files of type" dropdown, where it had not appeared prior to 
downloading the new file converter and installing it. Actually, I don't 
recall that I was ever given an opportunity to say where I wanted to install 
it, but I assume it ended up in the right place because of its appearance in 
the file-type dropdown list.
<quote>"
    @p51mustangthreeX12: "Try not selecting the "file converter type" just look for 
the file you want to open and open it, it should pop up a 
message that the file is not in a current format, asking do 
you want to convert it, at least that is what happens on my 
computer when I open an old WORKS wps file (Works 2.0 DOS) 
with OFFICE WORD 2002 (XP).
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
 some support 
<url>
"Bill Clemens" <email_address> wrote 
in message 
news:<email_address>
| That is correct. The new file converter type then appeared 
as a new choice in
| Word's "show files of type" dropdown, where it had not 
appeared prior to
| downloading the new file converter and installing it. 
Actually, I don't
| recall that I was ever given an opportunity to say where I 
wanted to install
| it, but I assume it ended up in the right place because of 
its appearance in
| the file-type dropdown list.
|
|
| > It is just that I didn't understand what you meant when 
you
| > said you selected the converter.
| >
| > You did double click the downloaded converter file and
| > install it into the programs folder?
| > ... "
    @PleaseReplyGroup: "Hi Bill,
My operating system is WindowsMe and in my version, Microsoft Word 2000
(9.0.6926 SP-3), "Recover Text from Any File (*.*) is available.
Does your File/Open "any file (*.*)" selection in the "show files of type"
dropdown recover your problem files.
Perhaps, if you want, send me a copy of one of the files and will see if my
system will open it.  Let me know and I will post an email address or if it
is a little file you can just attach it to your next post.
Ken
news:<email_address>
| Thanks, Ken. In my installation of Word 2000, File/Open has an "any file
| (*.*)" selection in the "show files of type" dropdown; but I did not see a
| "Recover Text from Any File." Could this be Word version-specific?
|"
    @BillClemens: "I got a note from my client yesterday that she is now able to open her old 
Works documents in Works 8. I don't yet know what changed, since previously 
attempting to open them in Works 8 resulted in the error message in my 
original post. So I'm going to put this down for now as an unexplained 
mystery and not spend any more time on it. 
I was attempting to open the files on Word 2000 on my machine, save them in 
RTF and deliver them back to my client. Since she now can open the files 
directly in Works 8, that becomes irrelevant. If you are still interested in 
this, I could send you a sample file, if my client gives permission. Thanks, 
Jim and Ken, for your interest in and suggestions for resolving this mystery. 
By the way, I had also tried not selecting any file type and just viewing 
files of type *.*, with the same result. My initial assumption, and maybe it 
was correct, was that selection of "view files of type" was just a filter on 
which files would be *displayed* in the File/Open dialog; but Help files and 
KB articles seemed to suggest that picking a file type from the dropdown 
would actually select the file converter to be used in opening the file by 
Word. It's now looking more like my original assumption was correct and Word 
just looks at the selected file and decides which file converter to use. The 
dropdown list does at least give an indication of the file converters that 
are installed and available. I tried to see if the Works version is encoded 
in the file somewhere and probably it is, but I could not decode it. The file 
dates on the Works executables are June and July 2000.
<quote>"
    @p51mustangthreeX12: "The possible reasons for errors are many.  A setting for 
encoding, or maybe the file extension is hidden.  Anyway, 
glad the "problem" has been resolved
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
 some support 
<url>
"Bill Clemens" <email_address> wrote 
in message 
news:<email_address>
|I got a note from my client yesterday that she is now able 
to open her old
| Works documents in Works 8. I don't yet know what changed, 
since previously
| attempting to open them in Works 8 resulted in the error 
message in my
| original post. So I'm going to put this down for now as an 
unexplained
| mystery and not spend any more time on it.
|
| I was attempting to open the files on Word 2000 on my 
machine, save them in
| RTF and deliver them back to my client. Since she now can 
open the files
| directly in Works 8, that becomes irrelevant. If you are 
still interested in
| this, I could send you a sample file, if my client gives 
permission. Thanks,
| Jim and Ken, for your interest in and suggestions for 
resolving this mystery.
|
| By the way, I had also tried not selecting any file type 
and just viewing
| files of type *.*, with the same result. My initial 
assumption, and maybe it
| was correct, was that selection of "view files of type" 
was just a filter on
| which files would be *displayed* in the File/Open dialog; 
but Help files and
| KB articles seemed to suggest that picking a file type 
from the dropdown
| would actually select the file converter to be used in 
opening the file by
| Word. It's now looking more like my original assumption 
was correct and Word
| just looks at the selected file and decides which file 
converter to use. The
| dropdown list does at least give an indication of the file 
converters that
| are installed and available. I tried to see if the Works 
version is encoded
| in the file somewhere and probably it is, but I could not 
decode it. The file
| dates on the Works executables are June and July 2000.
|
|
| > Try not selecting the "file converter type" just look 
for
| > the file you want to open and open it, it should pop up 
a
| > message that the file is not in a current format, asking 
do
| > you want to convert it, at least that is what happens on 
my
| > computer when I open an old WORKS wps file (Works 2.0 
DOS)
| > with OFFICE WORD 2002 (XP).
| > ... "
    @BillClemens: "NEW INFORMATION
I know I said I wasn't going to spend any more time on this and I shouldn't 
be, but I have learned that the version of Works that created the files was 
"Microsoft Works for Windows 83.161.120.1555 (4/18/1994 - 11:00 pm)." I have not 
however been able to locate a file converter that claims to work for Works 3. 
I do have both Works 2 and Works 4 file converters installed."
    @PleaseReplyGroup: "<url>
news:<email_address>
| NEW INFORMATION
| I know I said I wasn't going to spend any more time on this and I
shouldn't
| be, but I have learned that the version of Works that created the files
was
| "Microsoft Works for Windows 83.161.120.1555 (4/18/1994 - 11:00 pm)." I have not
| however been able to locate a file converter that claims to work for Works
3.
| I do have both Works 2 and Works 4 file converters installed."
    @BillClemens: "SUCCESS AT LAST!!!
I located a copy of the Office 2000 Converter Pack, still up on a web site 
in France, downloaded and installed it. Worked like a champ. Thank you again 
Ken for the MSDN link."
    @BillClemens: "Thanks for the link, Ken. That library article does indicate that the file 
converter pack includes a Works 3 converter. However, following the link to 
download the pack, I find the following note:
"The Office Converter Packs for Office 97, 2000, and XP have been retired 
from the Microsoft Download Center due to the discovery of a potential 
security vulnerability. The Office 2003 version of the converter pack will 
work with Office 97, 2000, and XP applications. For a list of updated 
converters and filters and a link to the tools download, see Office Converter 
Pack on the Office 2003 Editions Resource Kit Web site."
I downloaded the Office 2003 Converter Pack but it no longer includes a 
Works 3 converter. Suspect the potential security vulnerability may have had 
to do with apps written for Windows 3.x, such as Works 3, thus they were 
removed. This is of course speculation.
Now I really am not going to spend any more time on this!"
    @BillClemens: ""Homer,"
Your link is to the Office *2003* converter pack which does not contain a 
Works 3 converter. The Office *2000* converter pack does, but has been 
withdrawn by Microsoft due to a "potential security vulnerability." See my 
post above (11/6/2005 1:00 PM PST). I found the *2000* converter pack still 
up on a French web site 
(<url>
<quote>"
    @PleaseReplyGroup: "Hi Bill,
With your SUCCESS AT LAST!!! in locating a copy of the Office 2000 Converter
Pack.  Do you now have "Recover Text from Any File (*.*) available?
Ken
 news:<email_address>
Thanks, Ken. In my installation of Word 2000, File/Open has an "any file
(*.*)" selection in the "show files of type" dropdown; but I did not see a
"Recover Text from Any File." Could this be Word version-specific?"
    @BillClemens: "Yes, it is there. And it is possible it was there before but I missed it. I'm 
not clear exactly what the functional difference is between "All files (*.*)" 
and "Recover text from any file (*.*)" in the "Files of type" dropdown.
<quote>"
    @PleaseReplyGroup: "Hi Bill,
"All files (*.*)" and "Recover text from any file (*.*)" in the "Files of
type" dropdown both display all files for the Look in folder.  The
difference is with "All files (*.*)" when opening a file in which there is
no converter installed gibberish is displayed.  However, using "Recover text
from any file (*.*)" will display all the text in that file.
<url>
<url>
Ken
news:<email_address>
| Yes, it is there. And it is possible it was there before but I missed it.
I'm
| not clear exactly what the functional difference is between "All files
(*.*)"
| and "Recover text from any file (*.*)" in the "Files of type" dropdown.
|
|
| > Hi Bill,
| >
| > With your SUCCESS AT LAST!!! in locating a copy of the Office 2000
Converter
| > Pack.  Do you now have "Recover Text from Any File (*.*) available?
| >
| > Ken
| >
| >
| >  news:<email_address>
| >
| > Thanks, Ken. In my installation of Word 2000, File/Open has an "any file
| > (*.*)" selection in the "show files of type" dropdown; but I did not see
a
| > "Recover Text from Any File." Could this be Word version-specific?
| >
| >
| >"
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